Kevin Willard left Maryland for Villanova after a confusing and messy end to the 2024-25 college basketball season. None of his former players followed him. Not even one.
It was announced on Tuesday morning that Rodney Rice will join the USC program on a monster NIL deal worth approximately $3 million. His commitment marks the final domino to fall from the Terrapins’ nine-man rotation from this past year.
Willard was unwilling to commit to a future coaching college basketball at Maryland throughout the NCAA Tournament. He repeatedly lied to his players before fleeing to Pennsylvania in the middle of the night. And to make matters worse, the 49-year-old did not inform his now-former players of his decision to leave in person. He broke the news to them on a Zoom call.
Although new head coach Buzz Williams very quickly rebuilt the roster in College Park, not one player from the previous Terrapins team decided to stay. Those who did not exhaust their eligibility or turn pro chose to instead enter the transfer portal. Most of them did not follow Willard.
Three-star center Braden Pierce, who averaged 7.2 minutes per game, and three-star guard Malachi Palmer, who averaged 8.5 minutes per game, transferred from Maryland to Villanova. Everybody else went somewhere else.
Rodney Rice is the final player from last year’s nine-man rotation to make his decision. He averaged 13.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 2.1 assists per game in 31.1 minutes per game as a sophomore. The 6-foot-4 guard announced his commitment to the Trojans after previously trending toward the Wildcats.
Palmer, who did follow Willard, commented on Rice’s post with three emojis: “😐😐😐”
Pierce also commented: “congrats i guess 😒”
Christian Jeffrey, a four-star recruit who flipped from Maryland to Villanova after Willard’s departure, made his thoughts even more obvious: “🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄”
Rodney Rice’s former teammates thought he was coming with them and Kevin Willard to Philly. That will not be the case. Only the bench guys and a few recruits followed Willard.
What does that say about how he left the Terrapins? Or is it more about the money?